In Andrew’s retrospective of Asheron’s Call 2 last week, he mentioned that the game had a music system, something I’d long since forgotten, if I ever knew it at all. “It was pre-formed, multiple choice stuff and didn’t provide any stat benefit, but it was something you could do for fun, any time, anywhere,” he explained.
That got me thinking about other MMORPGs with music systems (not just clicking an instrument in combat, as many classic games had). Star Wars Galaxies, Lord of the Rings Online, and ArcheAge are all lauded as games with player-made music of one form or another, though there are plenty more. Their differences highlight the themepark/sandbox spectrum: Is it better to allow players some musical and embellishment freedom within a structured songlist, as in SWG, or should we agitate for fully free-form music systems, as in LOTRO, where some afternoons there’s a dude with a lute running an ABC file for Hey Jude or Don’t Fear the Reaper on every corner in Breetown?
Take that into consideration, then tell me: Which MMORPG has the best music system?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
